Mrs. Oscar Hundley makes reply

Mrs. Oscar Hundley
Makes Reply c
Birmingham, Ala., July 12, 1915 I Editor Greene County Democrat: Eutaw, Ala.
An editorial In your issue of July 9th' has just come to my attention. It is as follows: --
"SAVE THE KIDDIES"
It is said that one out of every four babies born in Alabama, dies before the age of five years. During this period, the responsibility of the child's health rests up on the mother almost entirely. If haIf of the time, energy and money spent upon woman suffrage and all the other nostrums of political quackery were given to help mothers and doctors save the babies, what a tremendous saving there would be, even upon the low plane of dollars, not to mention the plane of humanity. Which do you think would do the most good sending out literature for woman suffrage, (which costs an enormous sum in preparation, printing stamping and mailing, ) or sending the same amount of literature filled with instructions to mothers?"
I submit that this editorial does a manifest injustice to the many women in Alabama who are working for woman suffrage, as much to remedy the condition of which you complain as for any other reason, and I assume that this injustice, is not intentional on your part, therefore, I request that you will allow me to submit the following facts by way of defense, and that you will give this space in your paper, in your next issue if possible, and if not, then as soon as you can do so.
It is quite true, that the figures, bearing on infant mortality in Alabama are appalling. It cannot be expected womens business will ever be properly attended to, if it continus to be left entirely to men to do it. Our men relegate everything that concerns the home, to the womenfolk, and they rest contentedly, in the unjustified assumption that women are fully capable of taking care of their part of the worlds work, without the voice, (the ballot) in the affairs of the goverment which is touching the women, the homes
and the children at a hundred new point'---
modern conditions, and pressing---
where fifty years ago, they were---
by government.
Our infant mortality, is largely the result of what we might call "home politics" -all those aspect of governmental activity, which affect the home. Men do not concern themselves about the political questions which are of chief importance to the home, because the care of the home is not their business, and the AntiSuffragist to be consistent, would have women negligent of them, because they are admittediy political questions, and "politics is the business of men "!
The health authorities of New York say that in normal times two out of three of the children who die before they are five years old, die from preventable causes. They are slauhtered by diseases bred of foul air tainted water and infected milk. Hence we find that "politics is not outside the home, but inside of the baby".
The enfranchisement of women has resulted in every case in the lowering of the rate of infant mortality. In every one of the Woman Suffrage States, laws have been passed for the protection of infant life, and for the safeguarding of children. In the United States we lose 300,000 babies annually while in Australia where the women have voted for thirty years, the rate of infant mortality is the lowest in the world
In the light of the experience of the Women Suffrage states, how absurd and futile are most of the objections brought against the granting of votes to women! Perhaps the most foolish of all, is that
"women have already so much to do, that they would not have time to vote". Which takes the more time, the more strength, the more life itself --to tend a
poor little sick baby, and see it slowly wasting away; or once a year to put a bit of paper in a ballot box on the way to market and help to elect men who are committed to work for laws securing to the children of the state pure food, clean water, and pure milk? What man ever ran for public office in Alabama on this platform? What set of men ever required it?
There is no antagonism to men in this appeal of the women to be given the power to do their duty effectually. The women of Alabama are quickly learning that watchfulness, and a desire to control their home and their children are futile, without the power which the possession of the pallot can secure to them
"The ballot is the right protective, without which, all other rights already obtained, can not de safeguarded."
Very Truly Yours,
Bossie O'Brien Hundley,

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

This material may be protected under Title 17 of the U. S. Copyright Law which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research.

Mrs. Oscar Hundley
Makes Reply c
Birmingham, Ala., July 12, 1915 I Editor Greene County Democrat: Eutaw, Ala.
An editorial In your issue of July 9th' has just come to my attention. It is as follows: --
"SAVE THE KIDDIES"
It is said that one out of every four babies born in Alabama, dies before the age of five years. During this period, the responsibility of the child's health rests up on the mother almost entirely. If haIf of the time, energy and money spent upon woman suffrage and all the other nostrums of political quackery were given to help mothers and doctors save the babies, what a tremendous saving there would be, even upon the low plane of dollars, not to mention the plane of humanity. Which do you think would do the most good sending out literature for woman suffrage, (which costs an enormous sum in preparation, printing stamping and mailing, ) or sending the same amount of literature filled with instructions to mothers?"
I submit that this editorial does a manifest injustice to the many women in Alabama who are working for woman suffrage, as much to remedy the condition of which you complain as for any other reason, and I assume that this injustice, is not intentional on your part, therefore, I request that you will allow me to submit the following facts by way of defense, and that you will give this space in your paper, in your next issue if possible, and if not, then as soon as you can do so.
It is quite true, that the figures, bearing on infant mortality in Alabama are appalling. It cannot be expected womens business will ever be properly attended to, if it continus to be left entirely to men to do it. Our men relegate everything that concerns the home, to the womenfolk, and they rest contentedly, in the unjustified assumption that women are fully capable of taking care of their part of the worlds work, without the voice, (the ballot) in the affairs of the goverment which is touching the women, the homes
and the children at a hundred new point'---
modern conditions, and pressing---
where fifty years ago, they were---
by government.
Our infant mortality, is largely the result of what we might call "home politics" -all those aspect of governmental activity, which affect the home. Men do not concern themselves about the political questions which are of chief importance to the home, because the care of the home is not their business, and the AntiSuffragist to be consistent, would have women negligent of them, because they are admittediy political questions, and "politics is the business of men "!
The health authorities of New York say that in normal times two out of three of the children who die before they are five years old, die from preventable causes. They are slauhtered by diseases bred of foul air tainted water and infected milk. Hence we find that "politics is not outside the home, but inside of the baby".
The enfranchisement of women has resulted in every case in the lowering of the rate of infant mortality. In every one of the Woman Suffrage States, laws have been passed for the protection of infant life, and for the safeguarding of children. In the United States we lose 300,000 babies annually while in Australia where the women have voted for thirty years, the rate of infant mortality is the lowest in the world
In the light of the experience of the Women Suffrage states, how absurd and futile are most of the objections brought against the granting of votes to women! Perhaps the most foolish of all, is that
"women have already so much to do, that they would not have time to vote". Which takes the more time, the more strength, the more life itself --to tend a
poor little sick baby, and see it slowly wasting away; or once a year to put a bit of paper in a ballot box on the way to market and help to elect men who are committed to work for laws securing to the children of the state pure food, clean water, and pure milk? What man ever ran for public office in Alabama on this platform? What set of men ever required it?
There is no antagonism to men in this appeal of the women to be given the power to do their duty effectually. The women of Alabama are quickly learning that watchfulness, and a desire to control their home and their children are futile, without the power which the possession of the pallot can secure to them
"The ballot is the right protective, without which, all other rights already obtained, can not de safeguarded."
Very Truly Yours,
Bossie O'Brien Hundley,